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What are TRE Files?

What are TRE Files. Many new people into SWG Emulation projects often wonder this question.

We would like to explain so you have a better idea.

A TRE file is short for TREE file. Simply stated, a TRE file is a collection of programming that runs the CLIENT SIDE portion of what you see rendered in a computer video game.

This file is what handles displaying, and at times, organizing, the scripting and programming on the live server.

Many times, people think a video game is displayed compeltly remote, over the Internet. I thought that too. They is actually a misconception. A video game typically using a server-side based C++ or C# programmed game engine (SWG uses standard Linux based C++), and a scripting engine to do the actual server load. Modern games use LUA scripting language. (WoW, SWG, Age of Camelot, and a few others use LUA). I believe SWG was one of the first.

If you want to get good at programming or assist us here at the SWG Resurrection Project, learn LUA and C++!.

Back to TRE files. So, there are GB's worth of art and data that must be displayed in game. It obviously would not be effective have that pushed down an internet connection. So, that information is loaded, from tables, datatables, and config files, inside a collection file called a TRE.

So, when you are missing TRE files, you are effectively missing artwork, datatables, programming information, and other data needed to render (or produce) objects, quests, loot, and characters in the SWG world.

One of the most common issues with adding custom or NGE content, is that we have to put data in TRE files, which we call custom TRE files. We use one at the time of writing, for simplicity. Everytime we add new content, I add to the TRE file. Some projects add multiple TRE files that do different things (think NGE vehicles, armor, weapons, etc).

So, our updater provides you with the latest TRE file, which provides you with custom art, quests, datatables, etc.

If you are missing content, like you spawn a sith speeder, see the deed, but no speeder shows, thats usually because you are missing artwork and other files to control the speeder. So you do not have the TRE, or have an incomplete TRE file. Its almost always client side!

Take a look at how large your 52 TRE file collection is for SWG Resurrection. Its GB large! That is all of your ingame content, plus some unused content that may be added later!

Pretty cool, eh?

Also, there is a file that dictates the EXACT list of TRE files you need. This file is used by the launcher to ensure you have what you need to run the game. You can view it in a text editor, BUT, DO NOT MESS UP OR ALTER THE FILE. IF YOU CHANGE THE SEQUENCING OF THE ITEMS YOU WILL ALSO MESS IT UP. Good new though, if you do, just delete that file and run <UPDATE> and the Launcher will grab the latest again!